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Book3_8

    Japanese Grammar – Book 3 Lesson 8

    ■ もう V-ました

    ■ まだ V-て(い)ません

    Meaning:

    もう V-ました: “have already done”

    まだ V-て(い)ません: “have not done yet”

    Formation:

    もう + V-ました

    まだ + V-ていません

    Key Point:

    もう is used with completed actions, to confirm or report that something has already happened.

    まだ is used with negative forms, to express that something has not happened yet.

    For casual speech, ていません becomes てません.

    To answer briefly, you can say まだです (Not yet).

    Example
    A:
    準備[じゅんび]は、もう 終[お]わりましたか? Have you finished getting ready yet?
    B:
    まだ 終[お]わっていません。あと、少[すこ]し かかります。 No, not yet. I need a little more time.

    ■ まだ V-ます

    Meaning: “still doing something” / “still ongoing”

    Formation:
    まだ + Vます
    Key Point:

    まだ can also mean “still”, not just “not yet”.

    When used with a positive sentence, it shows that an action or state is continuing.

    Commonly used when asking if something is still happening or expressing that something is not over yet.

    Example
    A:
    お菓子[かし]、まだ ありますか? Are there still any sweets left?
    B:
    すみません。もう、全部[ぜんぶ] なくなりました。 Sorry, but all the sweets are gone.

    ■ 【Interrogative】+ S(plain-form)か、~

    Meaning:

    Do you know [interrogative] + S?” / “Can you tell me [interrogative] + S?

    (e.g., “Do you know when/where/what/etc. …?”)

    Formation:

    Interrogative word + sentence in plain form + か + main clause

    e.g., 何時[なんじ]に 始[はじ]まるか、わかりますか?

    Key Point:

    Used when embedding a question inside another sentence (e.g., asking if someone knows something).

    The embedded question must be in plain form, even if the original sentence would normally end in ですか.

    Common interrogatives: 何[なん] (what), どこ (where), だれ (who), いつ (when), どうして (why), どうやって (how)

    Common verbs that follow: わかりますか (do you know), 知[し]っていますか (do you know), 教[おし]えてください (please tell me)

    Often used when it’s uncertain if the listener knows the answer.

    Example
    A:
    スピーチコンテストが どこで あるか 、 知[し]ってますか? Do you know where the speech competition will be held?
    B:
    ちょっと わかりません。 I am not quite sure.